too. The women were TonTon regulars, and the information they sometimes spilled about Lorcan’s investments in the raucous natural resources sector had benefitted Beddoe’s personal portfolio on many occasions.
The ladies’ glasses were nearly empty. That wouldn’t do. “Please enjoy yourselves,” he said to the besotted couple, turning his attention to the women. Benna’s garment, a curve-hugging column tiled with thousands of bronze mirrored squares, threw light in all directions. Ramping up his glamour, he greeted them with courtly kisses on both cheeks, and then gestured to their vessels. “Another libation, ladies?”
“Yes, thank you,” the shorter woman said, raising her glass to her lips to empty it. A voluptuous beauty with platinum hair, Willa’s pale blue dress nearly matched her skin tone, such a close match that at first glance she appeared unclothed—no doubt the effect she intended. She cruised a talon-sharp fingernail down the chest of his dress uniform. “You take such good care of us, Beddoe,” she crooned. “Who… takes care of you?”
He had very reliable information about her erotic preferences, and the prospect of that fingernail repeatedly scoring the tender skin of his privates curdled his stomach. Beddoe schooled his face into an expression of rueful, worldly disappointment. “Ah, Willa, I’m afraid the TonTon is a jealous and demanding mistress.” Lifting her wandering hand off his uniform, he kissed her blue-skinned knuckles. His fangs tingled at the proximity of her iron-laden blood, but he’d sooner drink from a garbage scow than this one. “Allow me to convey your request to the server.” With a quick, courtly bow, he backed out of the range of that lethal fingernail.
The soft pluck of twelve strings drifted through the delicately scented air, unobtrusively accompanying conversations held in a babel of dialects. The extravagantly garbed guests availed themselves of the TonTon’s extensive collection of intoxicants, and delicacies from dozens of worlds glistened on serving platters. While the server prepared fresh drinks, Beddoe assessed the room with a critical eye. When your livelihood depended on people willingly parting with their coin, coin had to be invested first. Every detail was refined to perfection; no aspect of presentation could be neglected.
Welcome aboard. Take your ease. What do you desire? It’s yours—for a price.
Luckily for Beddoe, there was an endless stream of gamblers and sexual adventurers willing to pay a very high price for their pleasure.
Most of the guests paid absolutely no attention to the stunning panorama on the other side of the huge hull window. Ta’al was piloting the cloaked ship in a slow, circuitous route for the sightseers tonight, far enough away from the system so that features of individual planets blurred. But down on the Third, darkness sliced across the large northern land mass. In his mind, this wild territory and its precious, clean water was already his. He almost had enough coin to pay the exorbitant claim stake that would finally free him from Lorcan’s yoke.
Almost.
The beacon had blipped once, very strongly, then had inexplicably disappeared. Had anyone else picked up the signal? It was just a matter of time before the quadrant swarmed with scientists, profiteers, and all manner of fortune hunters, including Lorcan himself.
He had to get down to the surface again—but first, business. Beddoe gestured his newest employee toward him. As impeccably attired as the guests he mingled with, the wildly attractive young man wore a discreet pin on his lapel indicating that he was available for the guests’ entertainment. The spoiled youngest son of a scion of industry, he still saw paying off his debt through sexual servitude as an exciting lark. Beddoe glanced at the large screen flickering on the wall opposite the hull window. Stephen, four floors below, listlessly serviced a giant of a woman with his tongue, his
The ladies’ glasses were nearly empty. That wouldn’t do. “Please enjoy yourselves,” he said to the besotted couple, turning his attention to the women. Benna’s garment, a curve-hugging column tiled with thousands of bronze mirrored squares, threw light in all directions. Ramping up his glamour, he greeted them with courtly kisses on both cheeks, and then gestured to their vessels. “Another libation, ladies?”
“Yes, thank you,” the shorter woman said, raising her glass to her lips to empty it. A voluptuous beauty with platinum hair, Willa’s pale blue dress nearly matched her skin tone, such a close match that at first glance she appeared unclothed—no doubt the effect she intended. She cruised a talon-sharp fingernail down the chest of his dress uniform. “You take such good care of us, Beddoe,” she crooned. “Who… takes care of you?”
He had very reliable information about her erotic preferences, and the prospect of that fingernail repeatedly scoring the tender skin of his privates curdled his stomach. Beddoe schooled his face into an expression of rueful, worldly disappointment. “Ah, Willa, I’m afraid the TonTon is a jealous and demanding mistress.” Lifting her wandering hand off his uniform, he kissed her blue-skinned knuckles. His fangs tingled at the proximity of her iron-laden blood, but he’d sooner drink from a garbage scow than this one. “Allow me to convey your request to the server.” With a quick, courtly bow, he backed out of the range of that lethal fingernail.
The soft pluck of twelve strings drifted through the delicately scented air, unobtrusively accompanying conversations held in a babel of dialects. The extravagantly garbed guests availed themselves of the TonTon’s extensive collection of intoxicants, and delicacies from dozens of worlds glistened on serving platters. While the server prepared fresh drinks, Beddoe assessed the room with a critical eye. When your livelihood depended on people willingly parting with their coin, coin had to be invested first. Every detail was refined to perfection; no aspect of presentation could be neglected.
Welcome aboard. Take your ease. What do you desire? It’s yours—for a price.
Luckily for Beddoe, there was an endless stream of gamblers and sexual adventurers willing to pay a very high price for their pleasure.
Most of the guests paid absolutely no attention to the stunning panorama on the other side of the huge hull window. Ta’al was piloting the cloaked ship in a slow, circuitous route for the sightseers tonight, far enough away from the system so that features of individual planets blurred. But down on the Third, darkness sliced across the large northern land mass. In his mind, this wild territory and its precious, clean water was already his. He almost had enough coin to pay the exorbitant claim stake that would finally free him from Lorcan’s yoke.
Almost.
The beacon had blipped once, very strongly, then had inexplicably disappeared. Had anyone else picked up the signal? It was just a matter of time before the quadrant swarmed with scientists, profiteers, and all manner of fortune hunters, including Lorcan himself.
He had to get down to the surface again—but first, business. Beddoe gestured his newest employee toward him. As impeccably attired as the guests he mingled with, the wildly attractive young man wore a discreet pin on his lapel indicating that he was available for the guests’ entertainment. The spoiled youngest son of a scion of industry, he still saw paying off his debt through sexual servitude as an exciting lark. Beddoe glanced at the large screen flickering on the wall opposite the hull window. Stephen, four floors below, listlessly serviced a giant of a woman with his tongue, his
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